The Mahindra Thar has been one of the most popular SUVs on sale in our market. However, the company is not able to introduce this model in international markets. Mahindra had introduced the Roxor off-roader, Thar-based commercial vehicle, in the United States in 2018. The off-roader was banned for sale in the United States, as it was found to be in violation of Jeep’s design trademark. Jeep said that the design of the off-roader was heavily inspired by the Willys Jeep that was used in World War II.
Mahindra was planning to introduce the new gen Thar lifestyle SUV in the Australian market. However, the plans have now been ditched. If reports are to be believed, Mahindra told Australian dealers that it is “still trying to find a way to bring the off-roader to local showrooms.”
Speaking to Australian media, Joydeep Moitra, Regional head of Mahindra Automotive, said, “The Thar in its current form will not be coming into any international markets.” The statement was made during the national launch of the new Scorpio.
Joydeep Moitra confirms that Mahindra is working on a differently styled rugged off-roader for the international markets. This will be a completely different model and would not infringe on the design copyright of the Jeep Wrangler or the Jeep Willys. He stated, “We are working on a differently stylised car with a different value proposition, which is suitable for international markets.”
It is no secret that Mahindra is preparing a 5-door/LWB version of the Thar lifestyle SUV for India. The SUV will retain the original styling, but the dimensions will be changed significantly. We believe that Mahindra could introduce a completely new off-roader based on the Thar platform. This SUV will mainly target the global markets.
Source – drive.com.au
